Contents:

• Satan’s church in Nigeria
• The value of a soul
• Faith that demands
• Full deliverance
• Signs of the last day
• Now is the time for action

SATAN’S CHURCH IN NIGERIA

SATAN’S PLAN

“I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will also sit upon the mount of the congregation. I will ascend above the height of cloud: I will be like the Most-High” (Isaiah 14:13-14).

PAUL’S PLAN

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of stronghold” (II Cor. 10: 4-5).

In HERALD OF THE LAST DAYS number 6, we studied God’s true church in Nigeria. God has a church (not a denomination) which is ONE and is formed of all truly born again believers of all denominations and is called THE BODY OF CHRIST. It is ONE and undivided and controlled by the Holy Spirit for the worship and glory of God. 

Satan also has a kingdom and a church. It is the purpose of this study to expose Satan’s church and activities; the need for ‘overcomers’ to oppose Satan’s activities and to assert the ultimate victory of God and the destruction of Satan’s kingdom and church (Babylon), and the final establishment of man as God’s Governor of the world.

Since Satan began his revolt against God in heaven, before God created the world, he has been obsessed with the passion to oppose God’s plan and to take over the control of the universe. Satan prompted and helped man (Adam and Eve) to disbelieve and disobey God and seek his own way to assert himself, overcome his limitations (due to his sin); and to seek to succeed, apart from God. Satan sought to establish another type of worship with Cain, who offered the fruits of his own works instead of God’s way, the shedding of blood, as the only way to approach God, as offered by Abel.

Satan set up a separate Kingdom and through slaves, Babel was built in an attempt by man to reach heaven and to secure their own safety and unity. God spoilt that plan but Satan still continued his plans.

Through many kings and leaders in the O.T. Satan sought to set up his kingdom and control, and in each case God found a ‘vessel of recovery’ who brought mankind back into the right way to God. Elijah, the great prophet, openly challenged Israel to decide whom they would worship and won a great battle against the priests of Baal and Satan.

When God’s chosen Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, came, Satan tried to kill Him when He was a baby, and then tried to tempt Him into surrendering His plan and to accept the Kingdoms of this world as a gift from Satan, if the Lord would only acknowledge Satan as head and worship him.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Satan tried to kill Him to prevent Him going to the Cross, because Satan realized that Calvary would be the foundation of his defeat for ever.

We now know that the confrontation at Calvary was a complete victory for the Lord Jesus and a complete defeat for Satan. It was the vital battle for the control of mankind and the future success of God’s plan. In the Acts of the Apostles, Satan stirred up persecution (through the religious leaders of that day) and scattered the Christians. But they took the Gospel with them and established churches.

In the book of Revelation, chapter 2 & 3, we read how the Lord of the Church, the Lord Jesus Himself, rebuked the early Asian churches for surrendering to Satan’s guile and deceitful introduction of counterfeit ideas and doctrines and worldliness which almost destroyed the churches. 

He is attempting to offer mankind a counterfeit way of life which is apart from God. A counterfeit political philosophy; a counterfeit system of economics; a counterfeit culture and race policy; and a complete counterfeit system of worship and religion. This counterfeit must be, and is, so close to the genuine that it needs a spiritually awakened man to discern the difference. 

It is Satan’s hope that we who have been born again will be satisfied with the counterfeit and thus rob God of His ‘vessels of recovery’ for the generation and time.

It is our purpose to expose this counterfeit and warn Christians against the dangers existing, even in the churches today. God is moving by His Holy Spirit again and He is exposing the counterfeit and calling His people to “come out from among them, and be ye separate” (II. Cor. 6:17).

It is Satan’s plan to produce a spurious religious, political, economic and cultural system to captivate mankind and it is exposed in the Bible as ‘BABYLON.’

PRESENT DAY OPERATIONS (Satan’s Counterfeits)

POLITICAL: Mankind is engrossed in politics or the science of trying to govern themselves. Various ways have been tried; Democracy, Dictatorship, Socialism, Marxism, all of which are counterfeits. God’s method of the world government will be ‘Theocracy’, the Government of the world by His Son and true KING, The Lord Jesus Christ.

God has His plan, the establishing of the Kingdom of Heaven, on earth where His blessings will be shared by all men equally, and enjoyed without oppression or distinction.

ECONOMIC: Today, men worship money. It is a passion with many and Satan is making it appear that money can buy anything. This is an age of materialism, when money, goods and property is the highest aim and ambition of most people, and their god is gold instead of the God of the Universe who made it all. “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1Tim. 6:10).

Culturally: Satan has tried to persuade people that all we need to change conditions and bring in ‘heaven on earth’, is to educate the people and change the environment, and that enlightenment is the key word for development.

The young are scrambling for degrees and studying Philosophy, seeking the solution to their own and the world’s problems. But true peace and happiness and satisfaction eludes them, because they forget God.

RELIGIOUS: Satan knows that man must worship something or someone, and he is strongly in favor of religion and has produced many kinds of religions, each claiming to be the one and only way to peace and heaven. Today, we see strenuous attempts being made to unite all denominations and to merge even differing religions, to produce one huge WORLD CHURCH.

It is not of God and will serve Satan’s plan to produce a combined organization of business, political and religious bodies into his GREAT BABYLON.

But it is the churches who call themselves Christians where Satan is deceiving the people of God most. He is encouraging Christians to use their own wisdom and knowledge and ability to develop the church. It will not be acceptable to God, for only the Holy Spirit’s work is acceptable to God. ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit’ (Zech. 4:6). ‘Self’ is served in place of God in many church services today. And ‘self’ is the same as ‘flesh’, enmity against God. “The carnal mind is enmity against God” (Rom. 8:7).

CHURCH ORGANIZATION is developed in human ways and ideas. The organization is more important than life or the Gospel and often demands, and obtains, deeper loyalty than the Lord Jesus Himself. There is a competition to build larger and more expensive church buildings with expensive organs and equipment, all of which God has little or no part.

WORLDLINESS: No Christian should attend in order to display their clothes or wealth. Engage in politics or place external things above the spiritual and the Gospel. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1John. 2:15-16); “Friendship of the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4).

THINGS: Satan is rapidly directing our faith to ‘things’ instead of Jesus Christ. Faith in water, oil, candles, uniforms etc. has taken the place of faith in Jesus Christ alone. Satan is quite happy for us to attend church and place our faith in ‘things’ rather than Jesus Christ, it is his form of Christian church idolatry.

Satan is also counterfeiting the gifts of the Holy Spirit and sending lying spirits out into the church to mislead believers ‘Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God.’ (1John 4:1).

HOW SHOULD THE LORD’S ELECT DEAL WITH SATAN AND HIS DECEITFUL RELIGIOUS MOVES TODAY?

We are hastening towards the greatest confrontation of the age, when Satan will be exposed and the Lord Jesus will bind him and imprison him.

Until then the Lord urges and expects us to prove we can be Satan’s masters and refuse to be misled or to submit to his wills. We are to learn how to fast, how to pray for deliverance of those who are bound; to use the authority the Lord has given us (Luke 10:19). But we must also attack, not merely defend. The Lord said “The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church” (Matt. 16:18).

We declare our intentions and policy, even though it will probably provoke reprisals from the Deceiver. We intend to provide as many tracts and magazines for all who desire to learn about Jesus Christ. We intend to recruit as many evangelists and to send them into unreached, Satan - held areas. We intend to recruit as many ‘overcomers’ who will dedicate themselves to this great battle of the ages to nullify Satan’s Church in Nigeria.

THE VALUE OF A SOUL

“He that winneth souls is wise” Prov. 11:30.

Oh, for a passionate passion for souls;

Oh, for a pity that yearns.

Oh, for a love that loves unto death,

Oh, for a fire that burns.

A passion for souls is rare among church members today. The great number of Christians do not feel any responsibility whatever for the souls of their fellow - men. They do not realize that they have been bought into the light because someone, somewhere, told them of the Savior and gave them the chance to save their souls. Most Christians feel that it is the sole work of the pastor or church ministers to seek the lost. But the Lord Jesus gave instructions to ‘those that believe’ (Mark 16:17) which made it clear that He expected ALL CHRISTIANS to be soul-winners.

This indifferent will bring many Christians into judgment when they stand before the Lord Jesus and He asks what they have done with the salvation He gave them. He said, “Freely ye have received freely give. (Matt. 10:8). We cannot say we love Him then be indifferent to our brother’s eternal welfare. Love gave Jesus Christ to die, if we love Him then we also should be ready to give ourselves for our brothers.

IGNORANCE OF THE FACT THAT EVERY UNCOVERTED SOUL IS LOST-ETERNALLY

This is one cause of Christian’s indifference today. Many feel that a God of mercy will never condemn any person why tries to do good but, will judge every one according to their work on earth. This is absolutely wrong. Every person who does not accept Jesus Christ as his Savior is denying God’s Word. 

“He that believeth on the Son hath life and he that believeth not shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). “He that believeth not is condemned already” (John 3:18).

So that Pagans and Muslims are shut up to this only way. We have no power to change the word. It is God’s plan not ours. “He that believeth not is condemned already.”

One famous unbeliever once told a Christian friend, ‘If I believed what you now state, then I would cast aside earthly enjoyments and this one truth would force me to warn every man I met. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering.’ One other reason why Christians do not realize their responsibility is that they do not realize the value of a soul.

Christians have been misled by Satan into the false idea that money and position and power on earth is more important than eternal issues, and that everything must be devoted to securing what we need here first. Money, position and fame have become the values by which men judge. The Bible says:

“What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his own soul?” (Matt. 16:26).

God values every man, because he has a soul, and God sent His Own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die so that no single soul should suffer the agony of being eternally lost. “The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

The great Christian evangelist D. L Moody, wrote; ‘I believe that if an angel were to report to heaven that there was a poor boy on earth with no one to care for him or teach him the way of life; and if God were to ask who among the angels would be willing to come to earth and live here for 50 years and lead that one to Jesus Christ, every angel in Heaven would volunteer to go. Even the great arch-angel Gabriel would say, “Let me leave my high position, and let me have the luxury of leading one soul to Jesus Christ.” There is no greater honor than to be the instrument in God’s Hands, of leading one person out of the Kingdom of Satan into the glorious light of Heaven.”

HOW CAN WE ESTIMATE THE VALUE OF A SOUL?

1. By its nature and origin. Man was made by God in His own image and into him was breathed the breath of God. Man is an immortal being.
2. By its powers and capacities. The potential capacity of man seems almost endless, even though they have been corrupted by Satan. Man has rapidly developed himself and is now reaching for the moon and the stars. Further, and this is the most important, only man is capable of fellowship with God and, in co-operation with God, of governing this earth. “Eye hath not seen, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).
3. By the duration of its existence. It will last for eternity, either in bliss or in woe.
4. By the cost of its redemption. We were redeemed, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of God’s Own Son; the Lord Jesus Christ. This makes every soul well worth saving.
5. By the struggle required for its possession. Satan seems to place a greater value on our souls than we do. He fights continually to retain his control over us. And God also has not given His Son but also the Holy Spirit to win our souls and our loyalty. We are valuable to God, and we ought to value ourselves and our neighbors just as highly.

MANY CHRISTIANS FAIL TO REALIZE THE SHORTNESS OF TIME IN WHICH TO SEEK THE LOST.

We are facing a desperate world situation. Satan is flooding the world with evil spirits and powers and the end is near, when we shall have no chance to preach the Gospel. It is not possible to guarantee how many years we may have yet to preach the Gospel in Nigeria but it is fewer than most Christians realize.

It is often too late to be concerned about a soul’s condition when they are near to death. It will be too late for us to redeem the time when we are taken from this earth. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION.

FAITH THAT DEMANDS

“What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?” (Luke 18:41).

The scene of our text is laid just outside the gates of Jericho-a city made famous by the miraculous fall of the walls, after Joshua and the hosts of Israel had marched around the city in obedience to the command of God.

In practically every Bible miracle, both God and man worked to bring it about. Too long have men asked God to do the impossible while they looked on and received; but the scriptures declare that “we are labourers together with God.”

It is on this same principle that blind Bartimaeus found his sight. He could have sat there by the Jericho road in all his helplessness and silently prayed for the Lord to stop and do something for Him.

DEAD FAITH

He could have said in heart, ‘Well I don’t know if it is His will to heal me. I will just hide my face and pray and if it is His will, then He’ll come and deliver me.’

PEACE AT ANY PRICE

But Bartimaeus used none of these threadbare excuses. He began to cry out with a loud voice. He was taking no chances of being unheard. Besides, Jesus was passing by, he would never come that way again, and it was now or never. There are people reading this, who know deep down in their hearts that this is their time to be saved; this is their time to be healed; it is NOW or NEVER!

Great emergencies always justify extravagant measures! The disciples were leading the way out of Jericho - they were walking ahead of the Lord when this poor man’s cry filled the air and at once they began to rebuke him and command him to hold his peace.

They wanted this man to hold his peace when he had no peace to hold. For years he had no peace to hold. For years he had lived in rebellion against this blindness; for years he had strained against the doors of a dungeon. He had never resigned himself. He had accepted what some called ‘His fate.’ And now - when faith would leap up and grapple with his captors, these well-meaning, but thoughtless disciples rebuked him and told him to hold his peace. But he cries so much the more. 

FAITH THAT DEMANDS

Thank God for a faith that will not be subdued; a faith that speaks above the roar of lions; a faith that can be heard above the crackling flames; a faith that rises above all the opposition of men and devils, and presses home its claim of victory.

The crying of this man caused Jesus to stand still, and He commanded him to be brought unto Him. You will notice that up to this point the poor blind man had done all the work himself. The Lord had done nothing; but, now, this poor derelict stands before the Lord of all creation. In substance Jesus said, “You have done much toward your need, what will you have me do?

“That is why I am here; that is why I came into the world - to give myself, a ransom for many.” Here is personified love, offering all it has on the altar of devotion!

APPLIED PREACHING

He calls the blind man out and speaks to him as servant would speak to his master: “What will ye that I shall do unto you?”

Here stood Deity in all His omnipotence facing this poor blind beggar, a human derelict; and Deity humbly says - and I paraphrase His remarks: “Command me, blind beggar, I am at your service.” Immediately the answer came back, “Lord that I might receive my sight”, and lo! Deity obeyed the voice of this lowly creature, and at once his sight was restored.

God is still waiting for men today who have DEMANDING FAITH.

FULL DELIVERANCE

“Giving thanks unto the Father who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His Dear Son” (Col.1:12-13).

Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4:18). OUT OF … INTO. Out of darkness into light. Out of sin into peace and forgiveness and pardon, and freedom. Out of sickness into health. Out of demon power into freedom and peace and power.

DELIVERANCE is much more than Salvation. The Bible word used for ‘salvation’ also involves ‘deliverance’. Many preach salvation and forgiveness from sin only, but deliverance includes a lot more than this. God desires that men shall not only be saved from sin and Satan, but also brought into the full blessings of deliverance and freedom. We want to examine the full meaning of ‘deliverance’ and to see how it affects us and to find out how we can minister it now, to those who are in bondage.

THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR FULL DELIVERANCE TODAY.

A growing number of young people are hopelessly bound by smoking, alcohol, drugs, sex passions and the gambling fever. Others are deceived and entangled by Satanic inspired cults and societies (some even claiming to be Christians) and by various forms of witchcraft and Spiritism. Worse still, many Christians who have already been converted, are bound by fear, resentment, jealousy and uncleanness, and who know they are slaves, but do not know there is deliverance for them.

They do not know they can be free or how to get free. Satan has deprived us of our God - designed position as the masters of the earth and has given us a counterfeit life, which is really slavery to SATAN.

Some Christians may feel we are not honoring the power of the Gospel. The Gospel indeed is enough to meet the needs of all such slaves but the Gospel preached is more often than not a deficient gospel. Forgiveness through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, though vital, is not the whole Gospel.

Many respond to this gospel and accept the fact and believe it, without having their shackles loosed and being delivered from the habits and bondages Satan had imposed upon them.

In Acts 8:9-24, we read of Simon the former sorcerer, who had been a witch doctor and had bewitched people. He heard the gospel, he believed (vs. 13) and he was even baptized (vs. 13) but had not been delivered of his former desire to control people by supernatural power and work miracles. He wanted to exchange his former juju power for a new miracle power and offered money to secure it. This proved he had not been fully delivered, and Peter openly rebuked him stating, ‘thou hast neither part not lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God, thou art the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity’ (Acts 8: 21-23).

When the Lord Jesus Himself spoke of His own work and message in Luke 4, he stated He had been sent to “Preach the good news (gospel) and release to the captives.”

When He met a demon possessed man desiring deliverance, He did not say, ‘your sins are forgiven you’, He cast out the demons with His Word. Forgiveness is another and more often forgotten part today, and just as important for those who are bound by Satan. There is DELIVERANCE for all; FULL DELIVERANCE in Jesus Christ today.

EXAMPLE OF OLD TESTAMENT DELIVERANCE

The best example of what God means by ‘deliverance’ can studied in His dealings with His own nation, Israel who were slaves in Egypt. It was God’s remembrance of His own covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph which made Him move to deliver them from Egypt; to bring them OUT OF Egypt into the wilderness heading for Canaan, OUT OF the old life of slavery INTO a new life of freedom and faith for daily protection, provision and progress.

God had to teach them slowly the way of deliverance. While He was dealing with the Egyptians in judgment, He also instructed the Israelites to prepare for their own safety.  He commanded them to prepare a sacrifice and put the blood over the doorposts, “the blood shall be to you for a token (a mark of faith) upon the blood I will pass over you.” (Exod. 12:7-13). It was the blood and the blood alone, on the saved their firstborn sons from judgment.

They were assured of safety and salvation by the promise of God Himself. They did not have to depend upon their feelings or fears, but upon the word of the Living God. When God sees a sinner today, trusting in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only means of his salvation; then God pardons, forgives and accepts that sinner, because of the blood. That is the only way of safety and salvation for every one of us today.

The Israelites were freed from Egypt, they left that very night out of Egypt, out of bondage, out of Slavery, and they set off for the promised land.

But they were to learn many lessons before they finally reached the Promised Land, and many of them failed to learn those lessons and perished on the way.

They had to learn to walk by Faith, live by Faith, and to deal with the ‘mixed multitude’ they took with them from Egypt (Exod. 12:38).

But they also had to learn even though they had been released from Egypt by the blood. The Enemy (Pharaoh; Satan) would not allow them to leave him without a constant battle. So they had to learn the deliverance of God by a demonstration of His power at the Red Sea. They had to learn that they had not lost their appetites for Egypt even though they had left it, and so God had to deliver them again (Num. 21 and Acts. 7:39). They still wanted Egypt’s food and forget the bondage and slavery. How like many Christians today.

THE BASIS OF DELIVERANCE

“By man came death, by death by man also resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor. 15:21).

It was Adam who subjected the whole human race to Satan’s slavery and bondage, and so God sent another MAN Jesus Christ to fulfill ALL that God had expected from man and then to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sin of the whole world and thus deliver mankind. God did not deliver his son, He allowed Him to die and now He can offer full deliverance to the whole of fallen humanity.

THE EXTENT OF THE DELIVERANCE WROUGHT BY JESUS CHRIST FOR ALL

1. He was ‘delivered for our offences’ (Rom. 4:25, Acts 2:23). Jesus Christ has borne the complete and full penalty of God’s broken law for every man. Now all may have full deliverance from sin.
2. “Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.” “By whose stripes ye were healed.” (Matt. 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24).
3. He was forsaken by God, because of sin for us Matt. 27:46. He has promised never to leave us, until we reach the promised land. (Matt. 28:20).

He conquered Satan FOR US, so that we need not be slaves anymore. He has freed us completely. Hallelujah. Now we can daily enjoy freedom because He has delivered us from Sin, Sickness, Bondage and Satan.

DELIVERANCE THAT WE CAN ENJOY DAILY

1. SALVATION FROM SIN. 

OUT OF Sin’s judgment INTO God’s pardon, and peace with God.

OUT OF Sin’s limitation INTO Abundant Life.

OUT OF Sin’s presence INTO God’s Kingdom of peace, and liberty of Sons of God.

1. HEALING. 

OUT OF sickness, infirmities INTO health and strength daily, for service

1. DEMON POWERS.

OUT OF the slavery of Satan INTO the freedom of God and His Spirit.

OUT OF the bondage of juju, witchcraft and evil spirits INTO perfect freedom and liberty.

OUT OF the kingdom of darkness INTO his marvelous light. (Col. 1:12-13).

1. FEAR

OUT OF Fear of failure INTO full confidence 1. John 3:21. 5:14.

OUT OF Fear of poverty INTO Prosperity. 3 John 2.

OUT OF fear of ill-health INTO Divine strength and health. 3 John 2.

OUT OF Fear of loneliness INTO His daily fellowship.

OUT OF Fear of death INTO joy at His appearing.

1. Mystery of iniquity

As the enemy (SATAN) plans to increase his crusade of hatred for God and man, and sends new terrors and power to enslave men in these last days of this Age; then the Lord has promised to deliver us in the hour of testing Rev.3:10, Luke 21:34-36.

GOD’S SEARCH FOR DELIVERERS TODAY

God’s has taken men, redeemed and deliverance men, into business of ‘deliverance’ with Himself. It is most wonderful business in the whole world that of ministering deliverance to men and women who long to be free.

Deliverers are men who have known God intimately and have learned His power and the scope of salvation and Deliverance purchased by Jesus Christ, and who learn to exercise faith for themselves, and then for others who long for deliverance, over all forms of oppression. It will take more much more than the preaching of the Gospel to do this. It will take a ministry which will know how to take time to minister individually to each slave, and deliver them.

God seems to be devoting much time and effort these days in searching for ‘deliverers.’ It is God’s present day priority, because He is preaching men and women to deal with the growing forces of evil and iniquity which Satan is ready to launch on the world.

If your heart burns as you read this, then the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, calling you to surrender yourself to the Lord to enter the school of training (the wilderness for Israel) in order to become deliverers just like Jesus Christ.

THE AUTHORITY (SCOPE) OF DELIVERERS

The Lord Jesus has obtained for us complete deliverance and the right to take authority over all the powers of evil. (Luke 10:19). He has also given to us the keys of the authorized to ‘bind and loose’ men and women in His Name. Just like He did (Matt. 16:19).

Too many Christians are content merely to pray for others, whereas we must ACT. We must use our authority against the forces that bind and bring into bondage. We must insist upon deliverance for the captives like Jesus did. (Luke 4:18).

We must bind ‘the strong man’ and then liberate his slaves (Matt. 12:29). We must take every care to see that the liberated slaves remain free and can march into ‘Canaan.’

THE OBLIGATION OF THE DELIVERED

We have been saved so that we may ‘save’ others. We are called by God to be deliverers. We are not to be content with being merely good ‘church members’, we must be soldiers and deliverers.

Finally, have you been delivered? Are you enjoying full deliverance daily? It has been purchased and secured for you by Jesus Christ. Claim your rights by faith now. Use your rights to claim deliverance for others.

SIGNS OF THE LAST DAYS

“Before the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31).

We are living in the closing days of this age. Humanity is facing the end of its course, and the inevitable judgment of God upon sin and rebellion is about to fall.

But it is in the church where we see the most terrible events and falling away. The church, which was designed by the Lord Jesus to master Satan and subdue the world and portray the wonderful deliverance wrought by the Lord Jesus at Calvary. Let us study the course of events likely to happen, and the present situation which will cause God to act again soon. Then we need to study our own course of action in relation to these events and situation.

SPIRITUAL APOSTACY

There is a terrible ‘falling away’ among Christians and many Christians despair of ever seeing a really mighty move of the Spirit of God, but when Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost and quoted the prophecy of Joel 2:28, “In the last days I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.” Acts 2:17-2 was actually drawing attention to the plan of God to pour out His Holy Spirit in these last days. The prophecy of Joel is not yet fulfilled.

We are now in those last days referred to and we can expect that promised outpouring before the great and terrible day of judgment when the Lord comes.

The book of Joel gives a picture of the end-time conditions and of kingdom blessings and the consummation of written prophecy.

“Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests; howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sack-cloth, ye ministers of my God; for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholding from the house of God.” (Joel 1:13)

REMEDY FOR BACKSLIDING

“Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the habitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord” “Therefore turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garment, and turn unto the Lord your God.” “Blow the trumpet in ZION, (the church) sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation” (Joel 1:14, 2:12-14).

The desperation that God requires in this end-time is fasting with prayer. Destruction is hanging over the whole world! Yet God has promised a world-wide revival.

This worldwide outpouring of the Holy Spirit will restore the church to its former purity and power and reach every honest-hearted sinner and usher in the greatest revival and flood of conversations the world has ever seen. You and I can turn God’s promises into results. We can bring God’s deliverance to this world and awaken the sleeping church, if we are prepared to be serious with God and meet His requirements, now.

God’s wrath against sin and ungodliness hangs over the church but God’s judgment can be turned into God’s divine deliverance if we, His people, will now give ourselves with all our hearts and energies to seeking the Lord with prayer and fasting.

Nineveh - condemned by God to doom, repented and cried unto God, and the city was saved. Some say, ‘there is nothing we can do about the tragic conditions in the world today. It has all been foretold in prophecy and we must just accept it as God’s will.’

But we strongly affirm, ‘there is something we can do about it’. Where the free moral agency of man is involved, the prophecies of God can be changed by repentance and meeting His conditions.’

RESTORATION IN THE END-TIME

“I will restore” (Joel 2:25).

Everything that God gave the N. T. church, all the ministries, all the gifts and all the ministries, all the gifts and all the graces and power will be restored to the church when the coming of the Lord draws near. The Lord will present to Himself “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).

He is “cleansing the church with the washing of water by word” (Eph. 5:21).

God is shaking the nations shaking the spiritual heavens and facing Satan to take action and He is also seeking and searching for those who will step out in faith and dedicate themselves to the Lord for these last days’ ministry, to challenge the church and Satanic powers.

The church is being awakened out of sleep, and made to realize that all her substitutes for the Holy Spirit, all her plotting and planning, and all her church programs, and all her religions activities are empty and vain without the Holy Spirit and will prove to be ‘wood, hay and stubble’ when “the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” 1 Cor. 3:12-13.

“He shall send Jesus Christ whom the heaven must receive until the time of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:20-21).

“If my people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and face and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins” (II Chron. 7:14).

WORLDWIDE REVIVAL (Joel 3:13-14)

This is harvest time for the earth. A harvest of the ‘tares’ and harvest of the ‘good seed’. This is plainly stated by the Lord Himself in the parable of the wheat and tares, Matt. 13: 24-30, and 13:37-43.

It is stated that the harvest will be gathered in at the end of this age. That harvest is certain. The Lord will also send rain, towards the end of the age, to prepare the harvest. The harvest rain the latter rain. Read James 5:7-8. Where we are told that the Lord’s coming is near but that He waits for the harvest. We are NOW in the ‘restoration.’ The Lord will soon be returning and then He will restore ALL THINGS.

“Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest in ripe….the press is full; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision….”

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION

HAVE YOU A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE?

God wants you to decide what you want to do with your life. God wants you to be a success in the way you chose. God can make your life a success. The decision rests in your own hands.

“As he thinketh in his heart, so he is.” Prov. 23:7. 

The Christian with no ambition or determined plan for his future “is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed… A double minded (or undecided, or unsettled) man is unstable in all his ways… Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6-8. 

GOD’S THOUGHT FOR YOU

1. God’s desire that you will discover the fullness of His power and provision. Faith will secure this fullness.
2. God wants to make you a deliverer and successful servant in all you touch.
3. God’s has a real interest in your success. He is proud of His people.  Eph. 1:1.
4. God’s desire that you will be prosperous, healthy and spiritually active. III. John 2. “I wish above all things that you mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”

If you are His child, then He wants you to dedicate yourself - your life - into His hands, and then He promises He will keep your life and all you commit to His care. II.Tim. 1:12. Once you have committed your life into His care, then leave it there and trust Him to look after you and lead you daily. But success in life requires FAITH and investment.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR LIFE SUCCESSFULLY

1. Make sure you have a right relationship with God. Put HIM FIRST in all things, business, marriage, work… keep daily short accounts with God. Claim cleansing daily for all failures.
2. Dedicate yourself 100% to God. 99% will not do.
3. Fill your mind with the promises of God for you personally. Never accept defeat. Never think of yourself as a loser. Never admit to an impossibility, if God says it is possible. “With God, all things are possible.” Do not give up until it has been accomplished.
4. Take God as your partner in all business matters. Then you cannot fail.
5. Dedicate your talents, time and money to HIM. He will multiply them and your success is then assured. Remember your time belongs to God; use it only for His glory. Acknowledge that God is the owner of all your talents and money. When you dedicate it and use it for His work and glory then He will multiply it and the harvest will far exceed the sowing.

THE COST OF THIS PLAN

1. It will prove a daily challenge of FAITH. Faith in your own dedication, because the enemy will test you and make you doubt it. Re-affirm it daily in His presence.

Repeat this daily: “I can do all things through Christ” (Phil. 4:13).